inside drivers door handle problem....
 

i went to open door while door was locked and i heard a snap! now the handle is loose and won't open the door if lock is engaged. it will work if i simply unlock door first but handle is still loose. looking at the plastic trim piece there is some plastic missing where the lock meets the trim piece, but i think i need a replacement door lock mechanism? lock still works with key fob and door control, what did i break? thanks

Is this the inside Handle?

Whichever it is, I think it might be one of the plastic "things" (pardon my technical terminology) that hold the ends of the various rods into the bellcranks. There are probably a half dozen of them.

See page 10 for the rods inside the door - http://boredmder.com/FSMs/Nissan/Maxima/1996/BT.pdf

I had to replace the outside door handle on my 97 and that was a miserable job. I think that was when I learned to take the window glass out anytime I had to work inside the door.

it is the inside door handle, it still opens the door but something "snapped" when i tried opening the door causing it to not release the lock mechanism anymore.

Hopefully, it's not the color-coded handle. One of the plastic tabs that is used to hold the lock barrel in place broke making it impossible to lock the door on the 99. I found a replacement in a junkyard but the bolt that holds the handle to the body stripped when I tried to remove it. So finally I gave up and ordered a Dorman replacement. It is black plastic. It doesn't really match the super black paint. I hope you have better luck than me.

pic of what broke craig? and what you replaced it with would be a big help, thanks

Here's a picture of the new Dorman door handle. I think I got it from Rock Auto.

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps5enftz0s.jpg

The part that broke on the original handle was one of the tabs that holds the lock barrel in position.

When I tried to remove an original type handle from a junkyard car, to replace my broken handle, the parts that hold the bolts with the red "V" marks, would strip out. I tried using different types of glue, but that didn't work. So I gave up and bought the handle in the picture.

You might be lucky and only have a broken part that holds the rod to the bell crank like Dennis described.

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/l...psr7qalptd.jpg